Huntington Beach hikes trash collection rates

The Huntington Beach City Council recently voted 6-1 in favor of increasing the rates residents pay for trash collection.

The increase is twenty cents per month, and goes into effect July 1, increasing residents’ bills from $19.61 to $19.81. A further increase of seventy-six cents per month will be implemented in November. Two more twenty-cent increases will also be added in 2018 and 2019.

One reason for the upcoming jumps is the fact there has been no rate increase since 2003. This has left the trash collection fund over $500,000 short since 2011, when the council voted not to increase the rates. According to a report, the new rates will raise about $30,000 during the remainder of this fiscal year, and add about $140,000 in revenue in 2017-18, and $250,000 for the 2018-2019 period.

Another reason is the fact the city’s trash hauler, Republic Services, has a built-in annual rate increase in its exclusive contract with Huntington Beach. Although Republic has been hauling away the city’s garbage for 50 years, the council has decided to review the terms of the agreement. Once council member, Lyn Semeta, said she agreed only reluctantly to increase the rates, but felt it was mandatory, as the city could no longer absorb Republic’s increases as it has done in the past.

Measures like this can benefit if officials work with a newsletter printing company to create an informative letter for residents.